The cabinet meeting on March 2, 2010 has come to the following decision:
The Cabinet endorsed in principle the ministerial regulation specifying criteria, methods, and conditions used in the evaluation of damages caused from additional imports and another ministerial regulation specifying criteria, methods, and conditions used in distributing the diagnostic of the safeguard measures. The 2 ministerial regulations were earlier approved in principle by the previous cabinet and have been considered by the Office of the Council of State, as proposed by the Ministry of Commerce. They have been authorised to proceed.
The Cabinet acknowledges the result of the meeting on using domestically produced packages and packages that were produced by Thai-owned enterprises on January 28, 2010. Also, the cabinet agreed with the following proposals from the Ministry of Finance.
1. Since the Ministry of the Office of the Prime Minister's 1992 ministerial regulation on packages and its amendment of point number 16 have already supported the use of packages produced domestically or by Thai-owned enterprises, there is no need to amend other issues. However, when Thailand become a member of Government Procurement Agreement of the World Trade Organisation, the non-discriminatory obligation results in the need to amend the aforementioned 1992 ministerial regulation so that it complies to the agreement.
2. Any state enterprise or government agency that the government holds at least 51% majority shareholding is required to cooperate with the compliance with the principle and the amendment of the point number 16 of the 1992 ministerial regulation as well as with the Cabinet Resolution on May 29, 2007. Nevertheless, to apply to what extent is at the state agency or government agency's discretion, but based on the best interest of the organisation.
3. A working committee compiling the information regarding problems and obstacles resulted from the implementation of Ministry of the Office of the Prime Minister's 1992 ministerial regulation on packages and its amendment of point number 16 by any state enterprise. The working committee consists of the Office of Industrial Economics, Thai Industrial Standards Institute, State Enterprise Policy Office, the Comptroller General's Department, and the Federation of Thai Industries, working on the solution to each problem.
4. The Ministry of Industry is assigned to improve the database of the information regarding domestic producers and Thai-owned enterprise, via Thai Industrial Standards Institute, so that the information is updated and more accessible, equivalent to the international standard. It role also includes the verification of the product standard that the Ministry of Industry has issued to goods as well as setting the time frame in order to keep the industrial products and factories as well as private producers up to date.
The Cabinet authorised the State Railway of Thailand to extend a loan contract valued at 800 Baht with Krung Thai Bank Public Limited Company for a year, with the Ministry of Finance as the guarantor. The Ministry of Transport (SRT) has taken the opinions of the National Economic and Social Development Board and the Budget Bureau for consideration.
The Cabinet endorsed the following proposals from the Ministry of Finance.
1. The Third Adjustment to Public Debt Management of Fiscal Year 2010 is to increase the loan to 43,955.08 million Baht, 13,955.08 of which is a new loan while the rest 30,000 million Baht is the existing managed debt, increasing the total balance from 1,704,707.62 million Baht to 1,748,662.7 million Baht.
2. The borrowing made under the The Third Adjustment to Public Debt Management of Fiscal Year 2010 is domestic borrowing for the government and state enterprise.
3. The Ministry of Finance is assigned to have the authority to consider the loan, borrowing method, loan terms, and other detail as well as the guarantee, according to appropriateness under the The Third Adjustment to Public Debt Management of Fiscal Year 2010, but, if the state enterprise is capable to seek its own loan , it would be allowed to do so under the condition that it is necessary and appropriate to that the enterprise.
4. The Minister of Finance or anyone assigned by the Minister of Finance is assigned to sign the loan contract and guarantee obligation, including related documents.
Synopsis
It has been considered that under the present circumstances, the government and 7 state enterprises have a necessity in managing the existing debt and new borrowings outside the Fiscal Year 2010 Public Debt Management Plan. Reasons for loan have been considered and found to be necessary, so on February 18, 2010, the Third Adjustment to Public Debt Management of Fiscal Year 2010 was agreed, and it consists of 2 mini-projects: Loan for Rehabilitation and Stabilisation of the Economy Plan, State Enterprise Debt Management Plan.
The Cabinet approved budget from Fiscal Year 2010 Central Budget, an amount of 20,458,600 Baht, for the operation of the National Clean and Creative Media Development Committee, as proposed by the Ministry of Culture, and the initiative budget for the Media Development Fund has been reduced as there is no relevant law to support. Also the expenses for the operation of the committee and sub-committee have been reduced in compliance with the cabinet resolution on November 24, 2009. Items that were not ready and lack clarity were also put on hold, and the Ministry of Culture would later on make agreements with the Budget Bureau.
The Cabinet approved the central budget under the budget from Fiscal Year 2010, an amount of 30,000,000 Baht , for public relation activities of ASEAN TV, as proposed by the Ministry of the office of the Prime Minister.
--Cabinet Meeting (Abhisit Vejjajiva) March 2, 2010--